Updated at 7:04 AM: The next week will be particularly busy for the Detroit Red Wings’ management team and development staffs.
Detroit’s holding their annual Summer Development Camp at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center starting this morning (the SDC takes place between today and Thursday, July 2nd), and then, the Red Wings will approach free agency (which begins at 12 PM EDT on Wednesday, July 1st) without roster certainty as it appears that Dylan Larkin won’t be traded any time soon.
MLive’s Ansar Khan examines what is an undeniably weak free agent class, and Khan wonders how Detroit will fulfill some of the team’s roster needs:
If they need a top-line center to replace Larkin, they weren’t going to find one in free agency. And having Larkin’s $8.7 million still on their cap doesn’t impede their ability to pursue other needs. They are in the market for a top-six forward (center or wing) – two of them, if Patrick Kane doesn’t re-sign — an abrasive bottom-six forward with some offensive ability and possibly an experienced backup goaltender.
They have roughly $29 million in cap space, a figure that’s highly fluid depending on who’s projected to make the roster. A large chunk of it, perhaps more than $12 million in earmarked for re-signing Kane and Simon Edvinsson, a restricted free agent.
That will still leave Yzerman with more than enough to address other needs in a thin free-agent market. It’s a market that got thinner after Alex Tuch signed with Washington following a trade from Buffalo.
The Red Wings appear set on defense (Moritz Seider, Edvinsson, Justin Faulk, Ben Chiarot, Albert Johansson, Jacob Bernard-Docker, William Wallinder and Axel Sandin-Pellikka — only if he can crack the top-six) and aren’t likely to pursue a free-agent on the blue line.
The Red Wings seem inclined to have Michal Postava back-up John Gibson in goal. Postava earned the starting job in the playoffs for the Grand Rapids Griffins over Sebastian Cossa, who was traded Friday to Utah. But Postava, despite an impressive rookie AHL season, has no NHL experience. So, the Red Wings might acquire a veteran as insurance, which they’d probably need anyway in case of injury because Trey Augustine is just starting his pro career and Carter Gylander has only 11 games of AHL experience.
I actually believe that the Wings are more likely to find some bottom-six forwards to improve the team’s depth as opposed to addressing their needs for a top-line center and/or one or two top-six wingers via trade; I would not be surprised if the Wings signed a veteran to serve as the 7th defenseman; I’m fairly certain that, as Khan suggests, the Wings will add a veteran back-up who can help spell Augustine and Gylander in Grand Rapids.
Khan continues (paywall), discussing some of the bigger names available at forward and in goal;
And the Free Press’s Helene St. James offers the following take on Dylan Larkin’s situation:
Interest in Larkin
The days leading into the June 26-27 NHL draft saw multiple trades around the league as GMs shape their rosters ahead of a weak free agent market, and that could spur movement on the Larkin front. But it was interesting − and understandable − how emphatic Yzerman was about how much power he holds, too, because even though Larkin has a no-trade clause, he also has five-years left on his contract. “I did not make any guarantees that that request could or would be met,” Yzerman said.
This is not the same situation as with the Columbus Blue Jackets, where Norris Trophy winning defenseman and Grosse Pointe native Zach Werenski has let it be known he’s unlikely to extend in two years. That puts more pressure on a team than when a player has five years left, especially on a deal as favorable as Larkin’s, which carries an $8.7 million salary cap hit and an actual salary average of $7.72 million.
Larkin wants to go to a contender, and it may take a multi-team trade to get back what the Wings need, which is, essentially, what Larkin is: a top-line center and 30-goal scorer in his prime.
St. James also continues (paywall) with discussions about free agency and the Wings’ 2026 Summer Development camp.
Update: ESPN’s Ryan S. Clark and Kristen Shilton discuss how the NHL’s 32 teams can earn high marks through free agent signings:
Detroit Red Wings
2025-26 result: Missed the playoffs
Key players hitting UFA: F Patrick Kane, F David Perron, G Cam Talbot
Key players hitting RFA: D Simon Edvinsson, F Carter Mazur
Cap space: $29.05 millionWhat they should do: If there’s a silver lining for GM Steve Yzerman heading into free agency, it’s that captain Dylan Larkin gave him plenty of advance notice about wanting to get out of dodge. Yzerman can plan accordingly how he wants to honor that request while also handling some other serious in-house business. He’s done just one thing so far: trading top goalie prospect Sebastian Cossa to Utah for the 23rd overall pick, which Detroit used on JP Hurlbert in Friday’s first round.
There’s got to be more on the agenda. Edvinsson deserves a long-term contract reflective of his value as a top-four blueliner in Detroit for the bulk of his prime years. It would make sense for Yzerman to give another year to Kane for how he can still contribute at 5-on-5 and special teams with the added leadership element.
I’m expecting the Wings to sign Edvinsson relatively quickly, and, as Clark and Shilton note, Detroit’s will need to find roster-player assets from any Larkin trade, even if that means “flipping” their return for Larkin to a 3rd team:
Finding an upgrade over Talbot to backup John Gibson — like Eric Comrie, perhaps? — would give the Red Wings some peace of mind in the crease. From there, much of what Yzerman can do to improve Detroit upfront hinges on the Larkin deal. Who is he getting back? And what will that mean for the areas left to address (is it center, or wing, that will require more attention?) It’s pretty slim pickings for top-six talent in free agency, so leveraging Larkin for whatever he can in terms of reliable scorers ready to step into a legitimate role will be critical to any forthcoming trade.
